Former Vancouver Canucks First Round Pick Traded to Columbus Blue Jackets

The trade market has been quite active around the National Hockey League over the last few days and even the Vancouver Canucks got in on the action, landing veteran forward Evander Kane from the Edmonton Oilers.

While the Vancouver Canucks are hoping to remain aggressive throughout the summer as they search for help down the middle, it appears that a former centerman from the organization, someone they drafted in the first round, has found himself a "new" home for the 2025-26 season.

In a social media post on Thursday afternoon, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced that they've acquired forward Brendan Gaunce from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for forward Cameron Butler.

Gaunce, a native of Sudbury, Ontario, was selected in the first round, 26th overall by the Vancouver Canucks during the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, ahead of names such as Brady Skjei, Tanner Pearson, among others.

The 31-year-old made the jump to professional hockey with the Vancouver Canucks organization ahead of the 2014-15 season and would go on to appear in 117 games at the NHL level for them, registering 15 points (six goals, nine assists).

In the summer of 2019, Gaunce was set to become a restricted free agent but then-General Manager Jim Benning opted not to issue him a qualifying offer, making him a UFA on July 1st where he'd go on to sign with the Boston Bruins.

Since leaving the Canucks organization, Gaunce has made stops with the Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild and now, for a second stint, the Columbus Blue Jackets.

In return for Gaunce, as mentioned, the Minnesota Wild acquired Cameron Butler, who is a 23-year-old right winger from Ottawa, Ontario, that signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets as an undrafted free agent in March of 2023.

Butler brings 91 games of AHL experience to the Minnesota Wild organization, putting up 11 points (four goals, seven assists), along with 145 penalty minutes and was a minus-15 during his time with the Cleveland Monsters.